Learning life skills through dance

Chetana Bandekar has already seen too much in life and hence, realises the importance of working hard and being independent.

The chirpy girl lost her father two years ago, and her mother, who works as a caretaker in a hospital, is now the sole earning member in a family of five, which also includes her grandmother and two sisters. Neither the frequent water problems at her home in a chawl in Vakola, nor her family’s hand-to-mouth existence are a hindrance for achieving her goals of doing well in studies and pursuing dance. “Learning dance at the Susheela Gandhi Centre has removed whatever inhibitions I had about expressing myself in front of an audience. My family is also happy,” Chetana says.

Like Chetana, her classmates at the Susheela Gandhi Centre are all gung-ho about moving their nimble little feet in rhythmic movements to the beats of the tabla. Their vibrant smiles and enthusiasm cleverly conceal all the hardships they face on a daily basis, like regular water and power cuts, or juggling housework, studies and passions like dance.

Noted classical dancer Dr Rajashree Shirke, who runs the centre along with businesswoman Leena Gandhi Tiwari, says its a tough endeavour to convince the girls’ parents, who are all daily wage earners making between Rs4,000-5,000 per month, to send their daughters to the centre. “We went to schools, asked teachers about girls who had an inclination towards dance but could not pursue due to financial constraints. Teachers in turn persuaded the girls’ parents.”

Shirke and Tiwari feel that through dance, these girls from lower middle class families can get not just confidence and poise, but renewed optimism and strength. “When the girls had just joined, they used to be scared about being in a group and would sit crouched. Now, they are confident,” Tiwari says.

BCom student Prateeksha Sakapal, daughter of a watchman, is so inspired by classical dance that she is pursuing a diploma from SNDT University with funding from the centre and aims for a PhD in dance. The centre, which started in December 2007 in Malad with 16 girls from nearby areas, is now brimming with 35 students in the age group 8-18 years, all of whom are taught not only dance, but also hygiene, grooming, communication skills, how to open a bank account, etc, to develop their overall personalities.